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16 MAY 04: R - YOU IN?
Instant Message to Rep. Calvin Smyre: What are you doing this weekend, with all these thousands of Republicans in town? Were you the one who put up signs near Manchester Expressway with an old Georgia flag and the words, "Sonny lied?"
The Georgia Republican Party wrapped up a two-day state convention at the Civic Center Saturday. Yet for some reason, President Bush and Vice President Cheney are coming to Georgia Monday -- and they're campaigning in separate cities. It looks like they don't have to worry about high fuel prices.
The South Commons lawn was covered with campaign signs the last two days, promoting various Republican candidates. Mixed among them was one for next weekend's "Home Run 5K" to benefit Camp Joy -- but that's really not surprising. Valley Rescue Mission brought in Oliver North for its last banquet, so you know they're Republican.
(Shouldn't there be a campaign reform law that every candidate has to walk alongside a yard sign like a priest and say, "I approved this message?")
I couldn't help noticing the placement of campaign signs along Veterans Parkway near the Civic Center. I counted 25 on the west side, in front of businesses such as Subway and Chico's -- but NONE on the east side, next to the Booker T. Washington apartment complex. Maybe if J.C. Watts had shown up....
One of the candidates with campaign signs up is a candidate for the Georgia Public Service Commission, who filed as "Bulldozer" Dozier. With a nickname like Bulldozer, would you trust this man to oversee electric and gas companies?
The top speaker at the Georgia Republican convention was national party chairman Ed Gillespie. His presence no doubt kept all the delegates in line - so none of them endorsed Zell Miller for re-election.
The unpredictable Senator Zell Miller was a guest at the state Republican convention. The Democrat spoke to a meeting of the Bush-Cheney campaign committee - continuing his quest for the biggest "zig-zag" in Georgia history.
It had to be a bit uncomfortable for Senate candidates such as Mac Collins and Johnny Isakson to see Zell Miller at the Republican convention. An endorsement from that Democrat might not do them much good - especially after Mr. Miller gave that Senate speech calling for state lawmakers to select U.S. Senators again.
(Can you imagine what would happen if the current Georgia General Assembly had to select a U.S. Senator? With the two houses divided, Saxby Chambliss might become a very lonely man.)
Columbus public safety workers decided the state Republican Convention was the perfect time to stage another protest at South Commons. What makes this strange is that I figured teachers would be more likely to march outside - since the state determines their pay, while police pay is a city issue.
I noticed only one Republican candidate running campaign commercials during the state convention. The Georgia Association of Realtors is endorsing a Senate candidate with radio ads which begin, "Home. That's where Johnny Isakson grew up. It's where we all grew up...." So why even BRING it up?
Several TV stations did stories about how all the Republicans were boosting the local economy. I witnessed this firsthand Saturday afternoon at a downtown restaurant. I stood behind two "old-line Republicans" - old as in the man wearing a seersucker checkered sportscoat.
The wife in this older couple wanted buns with no sesame seeds at Burger King - and the specific requests began to annoy others around me in line. So many people want to "have it their way," but they don't want anyone else to make them wait for it.
"Fast food!" muttered a woman behind me in line as the Republican visitors took their time carefully ordering lunch. That wasn't what stunned me, though - it was the fact that a loyal G.O.P. member actually asked for "French fries."
The bill for this couple came to $7.17 - and when the husband dropped a quarter on the counter, a big man standing between me and the couple snapped. "Can't you put the money in her hand?" he said to tell them off. This man apparently saw a lack of respect. I saw another great example of Columbus's legendary Southern hospitality....
Moments later, the big man told the woman at the Burger King counter he felt like he "wanted to kill those b*****ds." I've heard of road rage, but never food line furor.
When my turn came to order, I told the Burger King counter worker I was making sure to put the change in her hand. "I don't know what got into him," she replied. He was like what would happen if Miss Manners ever got too close to Martha Stewart.
Only one Democrat attempted to compete for attention with the Georgia Republicans. In fact, Bobby Peters put up so many District Court Judge signs downtown that I wondered if he was switching parties....
In fact, I was all set to start this blog entry with an Instant Message to Bobby Peters - but wouldn't you know, he drove a pickup truck right by me on 4th Street Saturday night! "It's a non-partisan office," he told me when I asked about the signs. So don't quite call him "Zig-Zag Bobby" just yet.
BLOG UPDATE: The beggar named Patrick promised he'd meet me downtown on Veterans Parkway Saturday afternoon for a ride to church. [9 May] I was there at 1:30 sharp - but he was not. Not even his fellow beggar or girlfriend showed up. Maybe they were outside the Civic Center, looking for a payday.
At the spot where Patrick asked me for money last weekend, I found one sign of his presence - a bag on the ground with two empty Krystal boxes inside. It was on the Arby's side of the fence which divides that restaurant from Burger King. So how tough are the Krystal managers, that they make panhandlers eat their food a block away?
Now other quick notes from a weekend when I had my best evening run since last September:
+ Two women in a car asked me for directions to Kinnett Stadium - in South Commons, near McClung Memorial Stadium. Either these ladies were confused about where the Relay for Life was, or they were two very nervous Democrats.
+ Contestants in the Miss Georgia pageant put on an Armed Forces Day concert for soldiers at Fort Benning. Ask the soldiers what the women sang, and I doubt they'll remember. Ask what the women wore, and they might talk for hours.
+ A friend of mine at church said it was "anti-American" for CBS to show the photos of Iraqi inmates at the Abu-Gharib prison. Based on that reasoning, I guess it was pro-American that the President didn't know about them for months.
+ Glenn Anthony Baptist Church promoted an "illustrated sermon" for Sunday titled "Family Feud." I wondered what Richard Kahn did when he's not taping shows in Hollywood....
+ Ritmo Latino Radio finally changed its call letters on the air to WSHE-AM - several weeks after the Southern gospel part of the station did. That'll teach the Clear Channel managers to send e-mails in two languages....
+ Columbus State University's baseball team beat North Florida twice, to advance to the Division II World Series. If they win the title again, maybe Applebee's on University Drive will honor the C.S.U. coach and change its name to Appleton's.
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